Administration

Tony Frank, Head of School, brings a strong background in Jewish education and administration to Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. Originally from the Chicago area, Mr. Frank made aliyah with his family when he was 14 years old. After serving in the Israeli army and earning a Bachelors degree from Hebrew University, Mr. Frank returned to the States to begin his career as an educator. He taught at Sager Solomon Schechter Middle School, then spent ten years as a member of the administrative team at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School.

Mr. Frank holds a Masters of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Administration from Northeastern Illinois University. He completed the Senior Educators Program at Hebrew University’s Melton Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora and has taught courses in adolescent development at the University of Illinois at Chicago while conducting research on Jewish identity development in adolescence.

Mr. Frank is a resident of Evanston where he lives with his wife, Rachel, and their children, Ella, Jonah and Daisy.

Jason Loeb, Academic Dean, brings a wide range of experience teaching and leading in both Chicago Public Schools and open-enrollment charter schools.

A proud native of Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood and a product of Jewish day-schools, Mr. Loeb graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in English and Textual Studies. Mr. Loeb worked as an editor and writer for a children’s book company in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood before moving on to teaching and leadership roles with Perspectives Charter Schools, The Noble Network, and Kenwood Academy High School.

While serving Kenwood Academy as an AP English Language and Composition instructor, Data Team Coordinator, Course Team Lead Collaborative Facilitator, and Principal Intern, Mr. Loeb earned his Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from DePaul University. He also earned his principal endorsement through the Illinois State Board of Education, and he is a PERA certified qualified teacher evaluator.

Mr. Loeb resides in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood with his wife, Samantha, and his son, Ezra.

Dr. Roger Stein, Dean of Faculty, has over 40 years in education. He began his career as a teaching assistant in Spanish at the University of Illinois in 1971, and then spent the next 37 years in the Niles Township High Schools where he served as: a teacher of Spanish; the Director of English, Modern Languages and ELL; the principal at Niles West, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction; and the Interim Director of English and Reading at Niles North.

He has a B.A. in Spanish Teacher Education, a M.A. in Spanish Linguistics and Literature and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Rabbi Zachary Silver, Rav Beit Sefer, oversees Jewish life at the school, including tefillot, Shabbatonim, holiday programming, and Israel education. He teaches in the Jewish Studies department and serves on the administrative team to advance the mission of the school. He is passionate about giving students critical thinking skills and using Jewish texts to help students think about their place in the world.

Rabbi Silver received rabbinic ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he received a Masters in Modern Jewish Studies. He majored in Jewish Studies and History at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as Sports Editor at the Daily Pennsylvanian and won the Presidents Award for Undergraduate Research for his thesis on the excommunication of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. He and his wife Tamara Frankel (a teacher in the Jewish Studies department) live in Lakeview.

Rebecca Schorsch, Director of Jewish Studies, teaches Rabbinics, Bible and Jewish Thought, and plays an active role in shaping the school as a member of the educational leadership team of the administration.

Dr. Schorsch chairs the Lishma program, where faculty and staff get together monthly, on a voluntary basis, to study and reflect upon a range of themes connected to Jewish tradition, Jewish calendar and general themes of interest to us as individuals and a community of educators.

A recent recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish Education (2015) and founding board member of the Chicago Jewish Day School, a multi-denominational Jewish elementary school in the city of Chicago, Dr. Schorsch continues to be active in the Jewish community at large through board service, adult Jewish education and community work.

Dr. Schorsch holds degrees from the University of Chicago (Ph.D, History of Judaism) the Jewish Theological Seminary (M.A., Jewish History) and Columbia University (B.A., European History).

Her husband is Dr. Scott Moses and her three children are Ada ('15), Nathaniel ('15) and Livia ('18).

Bob Krakowsky, Director of Finance and Business Operations, came to Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in 2012 after 11 years as Executive Director of Anshe Emet Synagogue of Chicago, a Conservative congregation of some 1,200 members. Prior to that, his career was in the for-profit sector, working for several organizations in Massachusetts, Texas and Illinois.

Mr. Krakowsky grew up in the Bronx, in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the City College of New York, a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University.

He lives in Northbrook with his wife, Sharon, and has two sons, Ryan and Adam.

Stephanie Sanderman, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, has worked with a variety of Jewish organizations including JUF, ORT and AJC, overseeing significant annual campaign operations and working with a variety of professional and volunteer leaders locally and nationally over the last 20 years. Stephanie has a great deal of experience in leadership development, gift cultivation and event planning, and has led over 10 missions to Israel and other countries.

Most recently Stephanie has served as the Director of Development at the Cove School in Northbrook, working with parents, community members, young professionals and the Board of Trustees to raise over $6 million dollars in annual and capital funding. In addition to fundraising, Stephanie was responsible for events and community building efforts, including all Parent Association events. Finally, Stephanie and her team oversaw the communications and marketing efforts for the school and raised Cove’s social media profile significantly.

Stephanie lives in Highland Park with her husband and two step daughters. She is thrilled to be joining the RZJHS family and looks forward to coming “home” to the Jewish community.

Riv Lynch, Director of Admissions, is responsible for recruiting and admitting students to the school in accordance with Rochelle Zell Jewish High School’s admission criteria, in consultation with the Head of School and Academic Dean.

Ms. Lynch was born in Israel and moved to the Chicagoland area as a child. She is an alumnus of Solomon Schechter Day School (SSDS) and is a proud parent of three Schechter alumni students. She is also a parent of two Rochelle Zell alumni students and a current Rochelle Zell parent. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Art Therapy from University of Illinois at Chicago.

Prior to joining the Rochelle Zell administrative team, Ms. Lynch ran her own professional organizing consulting business and was the Director of Operations at a local Financial Advising firm. Ms. Lynch is a resident of Highland Park where she lives with her husband, James, and their children, Hannah ('15), Liam ('18), and Uma ('21).

Inez Drazin, Director of Building and Administrative Services, has been with RZJHS since the very beginning, when its doors first opened in 2001 in Morton Grove, IL. Ms. Drazin is responsible for coordinating transportation, front office and maintenance duties and building services including food service, special events and school grounds. She lives in Northbrook with her husband Jerry and has three grown children and 6 grandchildren